


The Banished Uncle

by LPK9



Category: Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/M, Novel, Regency Romance, Sweet, clean
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:33:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25954543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LPK9/pseuds/LPK9
Summary: Aaron Gardiner, the long lost older brother of Mrs. Fanny Bennet and uncle of the Bennet daughters, returns to England from India after more than twenty years. His arrival brings many changes, both pleasant and challenging, to the lives of the Bennets, Darcys, and Bingleys.THIS STORY HAS NOW BEEN PUBLISHED ON AMAZON. I had to take down most of it per Amazon requirements when self-publishing. The final book has additional content (Epilogue, some changes and additions throughout), so please read my final ebook ... and it will also be available on Kindle Unlimited. Please check it out. :-)
Relationships: Anne de Bourgh/Colonel Fitzwilliam, Elizabeth Bennet/Fitzwilliam Darcy, Jane Bennet/Charles Bingley, Mary Bennet/Other(s)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 82





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

>   
> **THIS STORY HAS BEEN PUBLISHED ON AMAZON. I had to take down most of it per Amazon requirements when self-publishing. There is additional content (Epilogue, some changes and additions throughout), so please read my final ebook ... and it will also be available on Kindle Unlimited. Please check it out. :-)**
> 
> Hello everyone! This is my first posting on AO3 but I have been over at fanfiction.net for a few years. If I make mistakes posting, please let me know and thanks for reading!  
> -LPK9

December, 1811

Mr. Aaron Gardiner reined in his bay horse and leaned forward, relishing the warmth emanating from the great body. It was a December day in Hertfordshire, England, and after decades in India, he was not used to such cold.

His eyes roved slowly over the small town of Meryton. It was a pleasant scene, though a common enough one, with the white clapped church and the little shops, the timber framed houses and its village square white with frost. There was nothing about Meryton itself to explain the rush of emotion in his heart, except that he been born and raised here, and he had been gone for more than twenty years.

"Are you well, Brother?"

Aaron turned with a smile at his younger brother, Edward, "Indeed, I am well enough. Meryton has not changed much in the last decades."

"No," Edward agreed, his own eyes fond, "though that is part of its charm. Are you cold?"

Aaron chuckled and gently spurred his horse forward, "Indeed I am. The climate of India has thinned my blood, I believe. Longbourn is not much farther?"

"A mile out of Meryton, yes. We should be there within the half hour."

"Very well. We are close enough to our destination that I should practice the names of the family again. Our sister Frances married a Mr. James Bennet, correct?"

"Yes."

"They have five daughters, Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Lydia, and ... and ..."

"Catherine, though she is always called Kitty. She is the 4th daughter and Lydia the 5th."

"Our sister Fanny is not particularly sensible."

Edward Gardiner heaved a deep, soulful sigh, "She is not. I know it has been decades since you have seen her but in her youth, she was a tremendous beauty. I have no doubt that is what attracted Bennet to her but they are not well matched."

"Because he is a gentleman and she the daughter of a tradesman?" Aaron demanded coldly.

"Of course not," Edward protested. "You know that my dear wife herself is the granddaughter of a gentleman. No, they are not well suited because Bennet is extremely intelligent and Fanny is, regrettably, of a weak mind and illiberal understanding."

Aaron glanced at his brother in contrition, "I am sorry."

"Not at all. I fully understand that given your difficult experiences with Viscount Grayson, you are sensitive to the pain of regrettable class distinctions."

"I am indeed, but let us continue. Longbourn is entailed away from our nieces?"

"Yes, and our sister's dowry, while respectable enough, is not sufficient to supply the needs of six women if Bennet should die before his time. Fanny therefore spends most of her time worrying about their prospects, which makes her a difficult companion. Sadly, Mr. Bennet chooses to hide in his library instead of taking her in hand, leaving the burden of her emotional outbursts on the eldest two Bennet girls, Jane and Elizabeth."

"I do not believe you have described the personalities of our nieces in detail."

"Jane is a stunning beauty, much like Fanny was in her youth. But our eldest niece combines beauty with a gentle and loving personality."

"And yet she is not married?"

"No, she is not. There is a dearth of eligible young men in the area due to the war, and she has very little in the way of a dowry. Our father provided a 5000 pound portion for Frances, but that does not go far with five daughters and the loss of estate to the male heir when Bennet dies."

"What is the Longbourn income?"

"It is about 2000 pounds a year."

Aaron Gardiner lifted an eyebrow, "That is quite a reasonable income. Surely Bennet has saved through the years for the care of his wife and daughters in the event of his death."

Edward's mouth formed a grim line, "I fear he has not, Aaron. Fanny loves to spend money and in the beginning, they naturally assumed they would birth a son to inherit. When they finally realized that the estate would be lost to Collins, they were both too set in their ways. Bennet has kept them out of debt, but nothing more. It is indeed a difficult situation. Of course Mrs. Gardiner and I will assist to some degree if necessary, but we have four children and may have more. And you, of course, have four children of your own who are your responsibility, and will need your savings to launch them into society."

Aaron nodded at this but kept his own counsel. He was in a position such that he could help his nieces a great deal more than his brother, but he was not yet sure he was willing to do so. He was a brother and uncle, but he was also a father and a business man and he would not throw money away foolishly.

"And what of the other girls?" he asked.

Edward chuckled, "They have a truly disparate range of personalities. Elizabeth is second to Jane in birth and beauty. Unlike Jane, who is serene and gentle, Elizabeth is extremely intelligent and has a satirical wit, much like her father. She is a delightful young woman, but not placid. Mary, the third, is the only daughter who did not inherit Fanny's great beauty. She attempts to make up for it by reading dull sermons and practicing the pianoforte at all hours. Kitty and Lydia are unfortunately foolish and gauche girls, and are prone to chase after the officers of the militia regiment currently stationed in Meryton. Fanny does not see their poor behavior, and Bennet is too lazy to rein in their crass conduct. I regret being so negative, but I thought you should understand the situation as it is.

Aaron nodded thoughtfully, "I appreciate it, Brother, and I believe Longbourn is now in view."

The house came into view and his mount sped up slightly, apparently sensing that the warmth of the stable, and a bucket of oats, was near.

It was a pleasant building, not ostentatious, but its grounds and stables were well kept up.

"Are you ready to meet your sister after more than twenty years, Aaron?"

Aaron Gardiner nodded, his mind slipping back more than two decades to the last time he had been in the Gardiner home in Meryton.

"Yes, Edward, I am."

/

September 1785

"You will have to leave, Aaron."

Aaron Gardiner stared blankly at his father, who was seated behind his simple wooden desk, his wrinkled face downcast.

"Leave, sir?"

"Yes. I was visited by Viscount Grayson today. He is incandescent with rage over your, as he termed it, seduction of Miss Sophia."

Aaron's skin flushed red in outrage, "I did not seduce her! How dare he say such a thing? I honorably asked for her hand in marriage!"

Mr. Gardiner stood up and stepped around the desk, lowering his right hand on his elder son's shoulder, "I know, my boy, I know. I truly have great sympathy for the passions of young love but it was a foolish thing to do. You are the son of a tradesman and she is the daughter of a viscount. You should have known Grayson would never allow her to marry you."

"I am a clergyman, sir. That is an honorable profession."

"And Miss Sophia is the daughter of a member of the aristocracy. You reached too high, Aaron."

"I did not reach," he cried out passionately. "We fell in love. We have so much in common, Father! Our shared love of music brought us together as I taught her on the pianoforte but she also loves the Lord so deeply; she seeks to honor Him in a way that is quite foreign to the rest of the family. It is not as if Lord Grayson cares for her anyway! She is the youngest and the plainest. Her mother is dead and he is too busy with his wine and … well, I will not speak of it, but he is not a good father to any of his daughters, but especially to Sophia."

"Be that as it may, I must concern myself with my own daughters," the elder Gardiner stated sadly. "Grayson has threatened to ruin their chances of good marriages if you do not leave the locale immediately. And believe me, he could do it, Aaron. He could, and he will."

"I am serving as curate under the rector at Enford, sir, and have been promised the living when he retires, which will be very soon as his health is failing."

"Aaron," his father said, his chest heaving, "you know the power of Lord Grayson. My position as solicitor depends on the goodwill of the Viscount and his cronies. I cannot afford to have him as my enemy, Son. I am sorry, but you will have to leave Enton; indeed, you must leave Hertfordshire."

His son gulped, "For how long, sir?"

The gray headed solicitor shook his head, "I do not know, Aaron. I have 2000 pounds available and I will give you that money to allow you to get a good start wherever you settle, but it must be far away."

"I cannot take that, Father. What of my sisters?"

"I have money set aside for the girls and Edward. Do not concern yourself for them. Take care of yourself, Aaron. Please know that I love you dearly and wish that there was another way."

Tears filled the eyes of both father and son, and they embraced one another.

It was the last time that Aaron Gardiner ever saw his father.

Author Note: I am back with a new story! Obviously. Many thanks to the glorious P&P fandom which has welcomed me with such grace and read my stories with diligence and enthusiasm. I really appreciate all comments, both positive and negative. I am guessing the first chapter will seem obscure, but all will become clear in the next few chapters. My first two P&P books, I am Jael and The Blind Will See, are available on Amazon, including Kindle Unlimited. If you haven't read them yet, please do.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2   
Longbourn  
December, 1811

“I suppose the winters in India are quite different from here, Uncle Gardiner?” Elizabeth asked her newly returned relation.

Aaron Gardiner smiled back at his niece even as he briefly contemplated the last two days. His sister Fanny had screamed and called for her smelling salts when he arrived – once Edward had introduced them, that is. Not surprisingly, neither recognized the other though he could see, in the fretful prettiness of his sister’s face, the image of his own dear mother, gone these 35 years. His nieces had also been shocked at his sudden appearance as only the elder two had even heard his name. The older three girls had welcomed him, Jane and Elizabeth charmingly, Mary rather formally, but at least with sincerity; Kitty or Lydia were not deliberately rude, but they were too busy gabbling about officers to pay much attention to an elderly and dull uncle.

This evening’s entertainment was apparently designed to fulfill the younger girls’ hopes and dreams. Mrs. Bennet, outgoing and hospitable, obviously loved to entertain on a lavish scale that was probably unwise given her husband’s income. Tonight, the local families of renown, plus the officers of the militia regiment stationed in Meryton, had been invited to a Christmas party. Aaron had placed himself in a corner of the parlor and was content to watch the interactions of the young people who had congregated therein.

“India has an exceedingly hot climate,” Aaron agreed. “I find myself both relishing the cold of a Hertfordshire Christmas along with shivering uncontrollably at times. As I told your other uncle Gardiner, my blood has thinned after many years in India.”

“I have found this winter here in Hertfordshire to be exceptionally pleasant,” Lieutenant Wickham said with an admiring glance at Elizabeth, “though I confess that during the Christmas season, my heart pines away for the colder climes of Derbyshire. Alas, I can never return to my home, so I must be content to stay here. Indeed, with the blessing of such fine society, I find I cannot repine much.”

“Poor Mr. Wickham,” Lydia cried sympathetically. “That evil Mr. Darcy has treated you so cruelly. If I were you, I would challenge him to a duel over his lack of honor!”

Wickham struck a dramatic pose even as he protested, “Not at all, Miss Lydia, not at all. Regardless of the fact that Mr. Darcy has done me great wrong, I would never move against him in such a way as it would taint the memory of his beloved father.”

“I am sorry, Lieutenant Wickham,” Aaron Gardiner spoke up, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “I am unaware of the details of your struggles. Perhaps you would be willing to explain the situation to me?”

Wickham did so, with great enthusiasm. He had his story well-rehearsed, of how the elder Mr. Darcy had loved him, the son of his steward, and had paid for his education at Cambridge and provided for him in his will by awarding Wickham a valuable living. Of how the younger Mr. Darcy, filled with jealousy and cruelty towards his father’s godson, had denied Wickham the Kympton living which was his by right and honor. Of how Wickham now struggled to keep body and soul together, though always with nobility and grace.

Elizabeth, Lydia, Kitty, and Maria Lucas all wore looks of outrage, sympathy, or both, but Gardiner merely lifted a curious eyebrow.

“Did you attend Cambridge or Oxford, Mr. Wickham?”

“Cambridge, sir,” the other man replied, his lips tightening. This older man, with his penetrating brown eyes, unfashionable clothing, and tanned and roughened skin, was not like the traditional men of Wickham’s acquaintance and thus was difficult to read.

“And when did you take orders, Mr. Wickham?”

The militia man cleared his throat, “Well, as to that, when Darcy refused me the living, it seemed pointless to be ordained.”

Gardiner frowned, even as he shot a gaze at Miss Elizabeth, who had a crease between her eyebrows, “Mr. Wickham, I fear I do not understand. This Mr. Darcy could hardly award you the living if you were not ordained. Nor is ordination the work of the moment, as you would have been required to spend a year as a deacon under an established rector. Surely it was not reasonable that your patron’s son leave the living unfilled for a year or more? That would not be a responsible act on his part.”

Wickham gulped and shot a nervous glance at Elizabeth, whose face was now blank, her eyes wary, “I fear that after I graduated from Cambridge, I had very little to live on and therefore it was impossible for me to make time for ordination, Mr. Gardiner. If Darcy had provided me the support I needed, I would have been ordained and settled in Kympton.”

“And what have you been doing since you left Cambridge, sir?”

Wickham took a deep breath and forced a smile, “Many things, Mr. Gardiner. I fear, however, that the night grows late. I must depart as I would not wish to displease my commander.”

“By all means, Mr. Wickham,” Gardiner replied sarcastically. “It would be most unwise for you to enrage a man who holds power over your life and well being.”

Wickham flinched slightly at this, but turned his practiced smile and bow towards the coterie of women gazing at him. All but Elizabeth blushed and curtsied and he departed, feeling confident enough that he had not lost their esteem.

“You were rude to poor Mr. Wickham,” Lydia cried indignantly once the handsome lieutenant had left the parlor.

Gardiner leaned back and took a sip of tea, “I dislike liars, Miss Lydia and I dislike slanderers even more.”

“You think he was lying, Uncle?” Elizabeth asked quietly.

“Certainly. This story of the denied living is absurd. If it was truly destined for Mr. Wickham, then his patron’s son would have legally been unable to deny him the living.”

“He told me before,” Elizabeth said slowly, casting her mind back to her first discussion with Wickham on the matter, “that there was an informality to the bequest.”

“Utter nonsense, Miss Elizabeth,” Gardiner said firmly. “My own stepson is currently embroiled in complex legal matters concerning an inheritance of sorts. I assure you that many in his extended family are unhappy with what he has due, but the law is on his side. Furthermore, if Mr Wickham did not wish to defame his godfather’s name, why is the younger Mr. Darcy’s supposed perfidy known far and wide? I know Mr. Wickham’s type and give no quarter to such men. He was blessed with a valuable education, good looks, and a charming personality. Even if this Darcy has done him wrong, and I doubt he has, Mr. Wickham has advantages far greater than many a steward’s son. He is in his late twenties and apparently has done nothing substantial with his life. I too am the son of a man of trade and when my life situation grew difficult, I worked hard to better my situation.”

“You have always been extraordinarily hard working, ambitious, and committed, Brother,” Mr. Gardiner said, who had been listening from the doorway.

“I suppose that is true,” Aaron agreed, rising to his feet. “Perhaps I was a little harsh in my assessment of Mr. Wickham’s lack of accomplishments. But regarding the living, I am quite certain he is being deceptive.”

“Well, I think he is wonderful,” Lydia said pettishly, jumping to her feet. “Mr. Darcy is rude and proud and he insulted Lizzy. Mr. Wickham is generous and handsome and charming. I think you were terribly cruel to him.”

She flounced out of the parlor in search of delicacies to eat with Kitty and Maria in pursuit, leaving Elizabeth with her two uncles.

“Thank you, Uncle Gardiner,” she murmured. “You have given me much to think of.”

“I am glad, my dear,” the older man said quietly. “I have not known you long but you clearly have a generous and passionate heart. That is all to the good, but it would be regrettable if you were to blindly support a man who is not worthy of your compassion and friendship. There are those who are worth sacrificing for, and those who are not.”

////////////////////////

The Earl of Chartham’s Estate  
Kent  
March, 1790

“The baby is awake, Mrs. Hamilton.”

“Thank you, Polly,” Mrs. Sophia Hamilton said wearily. “I will go and fetch her.”

“No, you wait and I’ll fetch the little one,” Polly replied with a smile. 

Her employer nodded in relief and leaned back against her chair, letting out a deep sigh of exhaustion. The baby was still up at least once at night, and even when both her children slept, she was often kept awake by worry. 

Polly, her maid of all work, walked into the room carrying Baby Rebekah Hamilton in her arms. Sophia took the little one into her arms and began nursing her. Twenty minutes later, the child was replete with milk, and Sophia rose to her feet to change her.

There was a knock and Polly rushed to the door even as Sophia took a deep breath and straightened her back. She received very few visitors as she was still in mourning for her husband, dead these five months. Those visitors she did receive were often less than pleasant. 

“Mr. Aaron Gardiner,” Polly announced, her face alight with excitement.

Shock caused her to tighten her grip on her baby even as she swayed slightly in disbelief.

“Sophia … Mrs. Hamilton,” Mr. Gardiner began as he rushed forward. “Sit down, please. I should not have startled you so.”

“Aaron?” she murmured, her overly thin face pale with wonder. “Is it truly you?”

“It is, my dear,” he answered softly, shooting a glance at Polly. The woman smiled and curtsied before retreating out the door, leaving them alone.

“I am so sorry, Aaron. So very sorry.”

“It was not your fault,” the man replied sternly. “None of it was your fault. Your father threatened mine and I was sent away. You did nothing wrong.”

“My father,” Sophia repeated, her eyes distant. “I believe I hate him, Aaron.”

“Hush, Sophia. We were star crossed lovers, like Romeo and Juliet, except that we are, by the grace of God, still alive. I came here as soon as I heard about Mr. Hamilton’s death. I am sorry about the loss of your husband, or perhaps I am not. How did he treat you, my dear?”

Mrs. Hamilton leaned back against her chair and sighed, “We spent relatively little time together, Aaron, since Peter was in the army. What time we spent together was not unpleasant. We were not close; indeed, we had nothing in common, but he was a kind husband. Peter was the best of the Earl of Chartham’s sons by far.”

“You have two children, I believe?”

“Yes, Rebekah is but 4 months old and Philip is 2 and a half years of age. Philip is currently the fifth in the line of succession for the Earldom, which is why the old Earl insists on taking him away.”

“Taking him away?” Gardiner demanded in alarm.

“Yes, we are currently relegated to this hunting lodge in the estate because I have not yet submitted to his directive that Philip be raised with his other grandson, the son of Matthew, the Earl’s eldest. If Chartham was a better man, I would not hesitate so much, but he is an ungodly, vindictive, licentious, haughty man. I will not allow my son to be raised under his direction and control.”

She stood up and began pacing the room, clutching her baby daughter to her chest, “There is very little money left from my dowry as my husband was not good at managing our finances. I do not know how we will live, Aaron. I do not.”

Aaron stepped in her path and she looked up, startled.

“Marry me, Sophia.”

For a moment, she felt dawning hope and then her face fell, “We cannot. I am of age now but the Earl will interfere if the banns are called.”

“I have a common license in my pocket,” Aaron replied tenderly. “There is a clergyman in Hunsford who is a friend of mine from Cambridge, an old confidant of mine. We can proceed there this very morning and be secretly married by noon, and on our way shortly afterwards. I know Polly has been with you for a long time, and I am certain she will come with us to help with the children. I promise you that the Earl will never find you or the children.”

Now hope was surging but she shook her head, “Where would we go? Surely it is not safe to return to Hertfordshire. Your father is no doubt still fearful of the influence of mine.”

“Can you trust me to take you to India, Sophia? I have spent the last five years in India making my fortune. I promise you that your children will be mine, and I will do everything in my power to raise and love them and protect them and guide them.”

Worry and doubt gave way to relief and dawning happiness and tears of thankfulness, “Yes, yes, Aaron. Yes!”


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3   
December, 1811

“Viscount Grayson?” Bennet commented as he carefully rolled the last remnants of port around the bottom of his glass. “The elder Viscount died some five years ago, if memory serves me, and was succeeded by his eldest son who is, I assume, your wife’s much older brother?”

“That is correct,” Aaron agreed placidly. “Sophia is the youngest of a large family, so the current Lord Grayson is close to twenty years her elder.”

Mr. Bennet, Aaron, and Edward had repaired to the library after dinner, and Bennet seemed delighted to have the company of male companions when he was usually surrounded by the six Bennet women.

The library certainly supported Edward Gardiner’s claim that Bennet was an intelligent and well read man; the Iliad, Shakespeare, Pepys’ Diary, Matthew Henry’s Biblical commentaries – they all adorned the library shelves, plus many dozens more. Indeed, Aaron was quite certain that a substantial amount of Longbourn’s wealth had gone to stocking the library.

“I know little about the current Lord Grayson,” Bennet continued, “but I doubt he has any interest in either you or Mrs. Gardiner after all these years.”

“I doubt he does,” Aaron agreed. 

“But still, you remained in India until recently?”

Aaron shrugged slightly, “After more than two decades, India is my home. However, our eldest son, Philip, whose father was the fourth son of the old Earl of Chartham, recently came into an inheritance. By necessity, we had to return to England.”

“And startle your family immensely,” Bennet said with a chuckle. “What was your reaction when your long lost brother washed up on your doorstep, Edward?”

The two brothers exchanged a slightly guilty look, which made Bennet laugh openly, “Oh ho, I see! You have been in touch for some time?”

“For almost ten years, yes, though exclusively by rather sporadic correspondence” Edward admitted. “Indeed, we have been in business together for the last decade as Aaron has extensive business holdings in India. We did not tell you or the Phillips because neither of my sisters remembers Aaron well, and we thought it best to avoid even the slightest chance that Grayson would cause difficulties. Nevertheless, I apologize for the deception.”

Bennet waved a languid hand, “It was both sensible and reasonable. Fanny has not thought of you for many years, Aaron, and was not distressed on your behalf, nor was Mrs. Phillips, I believe. Besides, I thoroughly enjoyed watching her excitement when you appeared so unexpectedly.”

//////////////////////////

“Dear Brother, you only just arrived,” Mrs. Bennet exclaimed. “I did not imagine that when my long lost brother returned, he would only stay three days!”

Aaron smiled gratefully at his sister. For all that Fanny was loud and uncouth, she obviously was devoted to family.

“I must meet my wife and three younger children, who may reach London by ship within the next few days. Of course, with the vagaries of travel, it may be weeks longer, but I must be there to greet them when they arrive.”

“Ah, of course you most go then,” his sister agreed. “Will you bring your family to Longbourn soon? We very much wish to meet your wife and children, Aaron.”

The older man shook his head regretfully, “I must stay in London to deal with some business matters, Sister. I understand Miss Bennet plans to spend the early part of the year with our brother Gardiner, and I plan to call on her with my wife and children.”

“How old are your sons?” Fanny inquired, speculation in her faded blue eyes.

He suppressed a chuckle and replied gravely, “Our eldest, Philip, is 23 years of age, Rebekah is 21, Alexander is almost 17 and our youngest, Ruth, is 15.

“And what is your eldest son like, Brother?”

“He is a fine young man with a passion for music. He plays the pianoforte exceptionally well.”

“That is an unusual accomplishment for a young man, though I vaguely remember that you played the pianoforte very well, but then, I know you were originally destined for the church. Is your son planning to seek a living?”  
Aaron shook his head, “In India, the conventions are not the same as in England, Fanny. Many of the other local young men in our circle are excellent musicians.”

Fanny Gardiner nodded absently, her mind whirling. If Philip was a musician, he might well be attracted to either Elizabeth or Mary. While Mary was more accomplished, Elizabeth was far more beautiful, so she was a likelier candidate. Perhaps she could convince Edward to take both Jane and Elizabeth back to London with them for a visit.

/////////////////////////

Late January, 1812  
London

Mrs. Sophia Gardiner walked down the gangplank to the shore, shivering slightly in the brisk English wind. The debarkation area on the shore of the Thames River was a whirlwind of activity and noise with seamen rushing to and fro, with porters carrying trunks and baskets from ship to shore and shore to ship. England was the land of her birth but now it seemed entirely foreign, so different from the heat and humidity and bright colors and familiar sounds of Calcutta.

“Where is Father?” 

Sophia glanced down with a reassuring smile at her youngest child, 15 year old Ruth. The three younger children had all missed Aaron, but Ruth the most of all. It had been the longest period of separation their family had ever experienced, and it was nearly at an end. She anticipated some upheaval for the children, as none of them had any memories of fair England; Philip had been but two when they had left these shores, Rebekah had been an infant, and the younger two had been born in India.

“Your father may not know of our exact arrival time ...” she began, even as her son Alexander, 17 years old only last week, cried out with excitement.

“There he is!”

And indeed, there he was, striding purposefully toward them, his face alight with joy.

“Sophia, Rebekah, Alexander, Ruth!”

“Aaron!”

“Father!”

They had always been an affectionate family and in spite of the crowd around them, they embraced, though quickly, and then separated to gaze with glowing delight into one another’s faces.

Aaron glanced up and smiled at his wife’s maid, who had faithfully followed her to India more than twenty years ago, and now had followed her back again, “Good morning, Polly.”

“Good morning, Mr. Gardiner,” the woman replied cheerfully. “It is very good to be back on England’s shores.”

“England is cold!” Alexander complained with a laugh. 

“Indeed, it is, my son,” Aaron replied. “Come, I have a carriage waiting for us. Philip and I moved into a hired house only a few days ago in Cheapside. It is not particularly large, but it is well built. James!”

“Yes, sir,” his manservant, who had accompanied his family on their journey, replied.

“Arrange to have our family’s belongings transported to this address.”

He handed James a slip of paper and turned back to his wife, “Come! I know Philip is eager to see you and you need to get warm.”

“I do not know whether I am more excited about seeing Philip or a fire!” Ruth replied, drawing closer to her father’s bulk.

“You will be able to enjoy both,” he assured her, his body relaxing for the first time since he had left with Philip to sail for England. The children would grow up and leave them, but he never wanted to be separated from his Sophia again.

///////////

“Tell me about your family, Aaron,” Sophia asked.

Aaron placed an arm around his wife, who was wrapped in a blanket from neck to feet. Sophia’s reunion with her elder son Philip had been heartwarming, but now Philip was playing on the pianoforte and the three other children, exhausted and happy to be at the end of their long journey, were in bed. 

“That will take some time, my dear.”

“We have time.”

“True. My brother Edward Gardiner lives nearby; indeed, I chose this house to hire, with his recommendation, as it is so close to his family. He is married to a delightful woman and they have four quite young children; the eldest is but nine years old.”

“Is Mrs. Gardiner young?”

“Yes, I believe a decade younger than Edward.”

“And what of your sisters, Aaron?”

Her husband laughed ruefully, “I visited them for but a few days in December in Hertfordshire. My sister Fanny married Mr. Bennet, who owns the estate of Longbourn outside Meryton. They have five daughters and no sons. My sister Emma married a Mr. Philips, a solicitor in Meryton. They have no children.”

“I suppose both of your sisters are somewhat disappointed, then.”

“My sister Emma seems satisfied enough to dote on her nieces, but the lack of a son is more than a disappointment to the Bennets, as Longbourn is entailed away from the female line. My sister Frances is not a sensible woman. Her fears of being ‘cast into the hedgerows’ when her husband dies permeated many a conversation while I was visiting. The second daughter, Elizabeth, refused an offer from the heir to Longbourn a few weeks before our arrival, and Fanny was still prone to scold her for it.”

“Given the circumstances, I am surprised that your brother by marriage did not insist that Miss Elizabeth accept his offer.”

Aaron pulled Sophia closer even as he kept his eyes fixed on the leaping golden flames in the grate.

“I do not entirely approve of Bennet,” he admitted. “Longbourn is a fine estate with a reasonable income of 2000 pounds per annum, and he has not saved anything for his wife and children in the event of his premature death. However, he clearly loves his children, and Elizabeth in particular. The young heir is apparently an obsequious fool and our second niece is extremely intelligent. They would not have dealt well together. Unlike your father, Bennet was unwilling to force Elizabeth into an unwanted marriage.”

Their hands intertwined and she murmured, “Then she is a lucky woman.”

///////////////

The Edward Gardiner Home  
Gracechurch Street

“But then, it hardly matters that your dress is so quaint, Miss Elizabeth,” Caroline Bingley said with a disdainful glance at Elizabeth’s simple green morning dress. “It is highly unlikely that you will ever be allowed the honor of associating with the truly refined of the haut ton. Your country manners, plus your penchant for rushing through the countryside with dirty stockings and clothing askew, are hardly permissible among the polished members of our society.”

There was a gasp from Miss Bingley’s right, and she turned her vindictive glare away from Miss Elizabeth to Miss Bennet, who was seated on a chair near the window. Miss Bennet’s eyes were wide with disbelief and hurt, and for a brief moment, Caroline Bingley felt a twinge of conscience. She disliked Miss Elizabeth intensely, but Jane was a sweet girl.

A moment later, the twinge had passed. Her fool of a brother had come very close indeed to asking for Miss Bennet’s hand in marriage. The thought of being connected to such a family, with a vulgar mother like Mrs. Bennet and close family ties to tradesmen, made all her efforts to separate Miss Bennet from Charles completely honorable.

“I believe it is time that you leave, Miss Bingley,” Elizabeth said icily, her concerned gaze on her sister.

“It will be my pleasure,” Caroline retorted, rising to her feet. “I believe you would be happier, Miss Bennet, if we did not meet again. I assure you that my brother’s attentions to you were but the flirting of a man toward a pretty girl, but he is destined for Miss Darcy.”

She turned on her heel, her head held high, and walked rapidly out of this pathetic house, in this pathetic part of London, to her waiting carriage. As she exited the house, she noted a couple step onto the front walk, an older man and woman, both dressed unfashionably. This was why she had had to keep Charles free from Miss Bennet, to avoid such despicable connections. 

She brushed past them and climbed into her carriage, ordering her coachman to take her back to her brother Charles’s home. She was well satisfied with this morning’s visit, though she had found herself speaking more harshly than she had originally intended. If Jane had been the only one in residence, she would have confined herself to being cold and distant; however, Miss Eliza had been in the sitting room as well, and thus the full power of Caroline’s vituperative tongue had been unleashed.

Miss Eliza had drawn the attention of Mr. Darcy, the man Caroline Bingley intended to marry. She loathed Elizabeth Bennet, and had thoroughly enjoyed giving the pert girl a set down.

///////////////////

“Oh, Mr. Gardiner!” Mrs. Gardiner exclaimed, rushing to the hall as he and Sophia were announced.

“Mrs. Madeline Gardiner,” Aaron replied with a smile. “May I introduce you to my wife, Mrs. Sophia Gardiner?”

Madeline Gardiner was thoroughly flustered but her good breeding held, “Mrs. Gardiner, welcome to our home; indeed, may I say, welcome to England?”

Sophia Gardiner, whose ears were sharper than her husband’s, responded quickly, “Mrs. Gardiner, it is my great pleasure to meet you but I must ask, is something wrong?”

Madeline turned her head toward the parlor, where the sound of a soothing feminine voice combined with quiet sobbing.

“I am afraid we had a most difficult visitor just now,” she explained softly. 

“The overdressed young woman with her nose in the air?” Aaron asked.

“Yes. She came intending to be offensive and she succeeded. She was absolutely vicious to Elizabeth, and Jane is devastated. She thought Miss Bingley to be a genuine friend.”

Aaron and Sophia exchanged quickly glances before Sophia spoke, “We can come back another time, Mrs. Gardiner.”

“Not at all,” Madeline replied firmly. “I can hear that Elizabeth is taking Jane upstairs and Lizzy can comfort Jane better than anyone else. Please do come in.”

Her relations did so, though with some hesitation. The sitting room was a pleasant one, with comfortable blue furniture and very few ornaments. Sophia, remembering the exuberant spirits of her own children when they were young, took this as a sign that her new sister had a sensible streak. White cushions, for example, would no doubt have been a disaster.

“So, this Miss Bingley,” Aaron commented as he had seated himself on the couch with his wife at his side. “Is she a relation to the Mr. Charles Bingley whom Mrs. Bennet was hopeful would offer for Miss Bennet?”

“His sister,” Madeline said with a sigh as she poured tea for them all. “Elizabeth mistrusted her, which was wise. Clearly Miss Bingley was extremely opposed to a marriage between Jane and Mr. Bingley and no doubt was instrumental in keeping her brother here in London. Mr. Bingley holds the lease on Netherfield, an estate only three miles from Longbourn. He left for London in late November after telling Jane that he would return shortly. The next day, the other residents of the house packed up and left for London, and there has been no indication that Mr. Bingley will ever return. Jane visited Miss Bingley as soon as she came to London and waited several weeks for a return visit, only to have the woman she genuinely believed to be a friend insult her dearest sister.”

“Does Miss Bennet truly care for Mr. Bingley?” Sophia asked softly.

Madeline took a sip of tea and nodded, “She is very attached to him, and given her character, she will not recover as quickly as Elizabeth would in such a circumstance. I never met Mr. Bingley, but he seems a kind, pleasant young man who was, it seems, Jane’s nearly perfect match. Regrettably, his friend Mr. Darcy and Bingley’s sisters seem to have decided that our niece is not worthy. But then, as I said, all I know is from what others have told me. Perhaps Mr. Bingley was merely flirting with Jane, in which case he is, at the very least, guilty of toying with her heart and reputation. It was expected by the local families in Meryton that he would make her an offer.”

She exhaled slowly and looked up with a slight shake of her head, “But please, I do not wish for our first meeting to focus on the troubles of our nieces. Mrs. Gardiner, how do you find our English weather after so many years abroad?”

“Cold!” Sophia chuckled in return. “But please, tell me about your children, Mrs. Gardiner. We also have four children, though they are older.”

Madeline’s eyes lit up at this most favorite of topics, and in a few minutes she and her new sister were discussing the characters and antics of their children.

Mr. Aaron Gardiner was content to sit back and watch, and think.

////////////////////////////////////

Author Note: Many thanks on your kindness in reading and reviewing. And dear husband, thank you for editing!!! 

I had one reviewer commenting that it was insensitive of me to say that Aaron Gardiner made his fortune in India when British colonialism caused such hardships for India and her people. There is no doubt some truth to that, but if I was to address every rotten thing that was happening in the world during that time, my books would be quite dark. England was rather a mess too in some ways (from the perspective of 21st century American) with its class structure and the power of the gentry. Not to mention that India was, at that time, ardently committed to the caste system which was also really hard on the Untouchables. America, at that time, had millions of her people in slavery, which is horrible. So yes, Gardiner made his fortune in India. If that is too offensive to anyone, please feel free not to read on. 

My P&P books on Amazon: I am Jael, The Blind Will See, I Have Been Jaeled

**Author's Note:**

> Reviews of books help authors more than you know, especially new ones like me. If you do read one of my books on Amazon, please write a review. I would appreciate it. Thx!
> 
> My P&P books on Amazon; all are currently available on Kindle Unlimited
> 
> I am Jael
> 
> The Blind Will See
> 
> I Have Been Jaeled
> 
> The Banished Uncle
> 
>   
> **THIS STORY HAS NOW BEEN PUBLISHED ON AMAZON. I had to take down most of it per Amazon requirements when self-publishing. There is additional content (Epilogue, some changes and additions throughout), so please read my final ebook ... and it will also be available on Kindle Unlimited. Please check it out. :-)**


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